I never paid much attention to the garden. Young Joshua down the street kept it nice in return for pocket money. He wanted to study horticulture but his mother needed a carer and his father was busy sitting in the pub telling everyone how tough it was having a wife who was ill.
Joshua’s mother Eileen gave me those hydrangeas from cuttings. Theirs flowered a pale blue but mine were pink. Joshua said it was because their soil was more acidic.
I wish I had offered to take Joshua in when Eileen died. No-one knows what became of him.
I should have paid more attention to my garden.

Regret can be a terrible thing if you let it. Better to think on the positive side of what might have been I say. Maybe he got away from his drunk father and finally went to school. Two birds with one stone.

Wow, the whole story with background and everything in 100 words, nice!
Sounds like Joshua had a knack for gardening. I hope he fares okay with (or maybe without) his dad, who sounds like he wasn’t coping too well (or was a waste of space).

I agree. Feels like a novel in 100 words – very well done. The description of him in the pub telling everyone how hard it is being a carer is masterful – that is from the standard books from Russian classic literature and their superb psychology.

I worked in a few pubs in my youth and heard so many ‘poor me’ stories. Usually near closing time. Sad and all too common.
I love the way Russian literature gets into character’s heads/motivations etc and then sees them exposed to themselves. Thank you for drawing the parallel 🙂

I enjoyed this story very much and the message that it contains! Maybe you might like to come and join another writing challenge, one where you are provided the opening line of the story and also a photo prompt. It is Mondays Finish the Story! Again, good story, and be well! ^..^

The golden braid of love and gardening that you wove with your story is still twining around my mind and I am enraptured. I’ve read every comment and must say you deserve all the praise your writing is earning you. Wonderful job.